SYLHET, Dec 13: Some 55,066 hectares of land have so far been brought under the farming of winter vegetables in the four districts of Sylhet division.
Bottle gourd, pumpkin, radish, bean, tomato, cucumber, red spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, egg plant and taro are the most popular item in the region this season.
Off the total, some 20,750 hectares of land are in Sylhet, 8,533 hectares in Moulvibazar, 14,500 hectares in Habiganj and 11,283 hectares in Sunamganj district.
In addition to this area, potato has so far been cultivated on 6,946 hectares of land in the division and sweet potato on 1,245 hectares.
Mustard has been cultivated on 6,651 hectares of land, coriander on 2,709 hectares, chilli on 2,767 hectares, mashkalai on 1,164 hectares, French bean is being grown on 3,317 hectares of land, DAE sources added.
DAE officials said a good number of farmers in the region are now involved in commercial cultivation of varieties of vegetables in barren and fallow areas in Golapganj, Biswanath, Gowainghat, Jaintapur, Beanibazar and Kanaighat upazilas.
Additional director of DAE, Sylhet, Md Altabur Rahman said many farmers in the four districts are farming vegetable on commercial basis.
The official said special project like 'Raising crop intensity in Sylhet division' is playing an important role in motivating and engaging cultivators with modern methods of agriculture.